A Tauranga retail shop has been left with the front window smashed following a burglary.

The Cherrywood Lotto and Bookshop in Cherrywood Drive, Otumoetai was broken into early Monday morning.

'Police received a report of a burglary at a Cherrywood Drive premises, reported about 9.30am yesterday [Monday],” says a police spokesperson.

'Enquiries are ongoing.”

A resident who lives in nearby Norton Road says the culprit may be the same person who smashed into his car.

'Monday morning, I go to my car and find a mess on the road, a smashed up steering column and ignition barrel,” says the car's owner, who wishes to remain anonymous.

'I live in behind the shops. We were out of town on Sunday, got home late Sunday night. We had a tyre blow out on us as we got back into Tauranga, and limped home. Parked the car on the road.

'Went to bed, on the following day got up, went to jump in my car, and saw it was parked on a funny angle which I don't remember leaving it like that. Then I saw the broken glass.”

The back window of the car had been smashed in.

'The ignition barrel is all smashed out. As I was looking at it some people were walking up the street and I asked them if they parked their car on the street, and I said ‘you might want to watch out cos mine got broken into last night'. One of them said that the Lotto shop was broken into with a smashed window. That someone had thrown a rock through it.

'So I went around to the shop, to maybe let police know so they could come see me afterwards.

'The lady who runs the shop had to clean up the mess. I think they took her till.”

He saw another car up the street that had also been broken into.

'Belonging to a young couple, but nothing was taken out of it, they just wanted the car. They didn't steal that one and didn't steal mine. Personal belongings weren't touched, they just wanted the car. Maybe for ram raids? Both cars got immobilised when they broke the ignition barrel.”

The car in Norton Road had a rear window and ignition barrel smashed. Photo: Supplied.

He says on talking with others around in his community, he learned of other car break-ins.

'Levers Road, Freyburg Street, Matua - the cars that are parked on the road away from houses and buildings seem to be hit. Even though the street lights were on.”

On Monday he filled out a police report online.

'They haven't contacted me yet. I pulled in behind a couple of policeman sitting in a car down the bottom of Otumoetai Road, and quickly asked them if they were heading to the Lotto shop because it had been broken into. That was Monday morning around 11am to noon. They said there've been so many break-ins and burglaries overnight that they were absolutely swamped.”

With a car now unable to be used, he's having to figure out how to get to his Mount Maunganui job on Wednesday.

'I'm another victim to a senseless act by individuals who lack intelligence for their actions. Another life thrown into disarray as a result. Who cares eh, not their problem. Karma will prevail.

'But meanwhile at the same area, more lives were affected by a local Lotto shop broken into through a shop front window and a large rock. Items of value possibly stolen but replaceable albeit at an ensuing cost.”

He's thinking about how the whole community can be kept safer.

'As a community, we are at a time where the value of time, effort and possessions are at higher risk.

I would think it's a good idea for each street, to have a gathering or group born to aid the awareness of unwelcome late night lurkers.

'I don't know about anyone else but situations such as this don't affect us, our lives, our jobs, our families until it actually does happen. I've heard the street rumours of it happening and felt saddened but it's like Covid or the flu. It isn't real until it's knocking at your door.”

Police have received a report of a car being broken into on Norton Road, Otumoetai.

'It was reported yesterday [Monday] morning,” says a Police spokesperson. 'The information provided is being assessed.”

Tauranga households concerned about crime in their neighbourhoods can join Neighbourhood Support to help protect themselves and their neighbours, the organisation's manager Bruce Banks says.

If families are members of a group, they can notify their street coordinator quickly and get the word out to other neighbours quickly, says Bruce.

Bruce says about 15,000 families are already members of the organisation throughout the Western Bay, with signs and stickers in their streets advertising it was a Neighbourhood Support area.

The organisation works to make homes, streets, neighbourhoods and communities safer and more caring places, he says.

'We know that areas where there are street groups have less crime than those that don't. Criminals see the signs and know that people will be watching them.

'We are close partners with Police, and crime prevention is still a major part of our kaupapa, even though we haven't been called Neighbourhood Watch for more than a decade.”

The organisation has street groups throughout the Western Bay with street and area coordinators where neighbours get to know each other and are kept up to date with any crime in their area with fortnightly newsletters.

'Neighbourhood Support ensures people get to know who lives near them, and people keep an eye on unusual activity in their street, helping each other keep safe and supporting those who are elderly or live alone.

'We encourage everyone to join - it's free and is a proven way to prevent crime. People can sign up for free at www.wbopns.org.nz/joinus.”

At the scene?

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